Box Score MONROE, La. ? The Warhawks women's tennis team opened the 2008 season in dominant fashion on Saturday afternoon by defeating Alcorn State, 6-0, on a cold and wet day at Heard Stadium on the campus of ULM.
ULM (1-0) swept through doubles play and closed out the match by sweeping through five singles matches for the shut-out victory to begin the campaign.
“I really liked our team's attitude today,” ULM tennis head coach Terrence De Jongh said. “They showed their toughness by playing through the cold. We didn't have a lot of time to practice with the bad weather lately, but we made the most of it and were able to start the season with a good win.”
The Warhawks grabbed the early lead by claiming the doubles point to start the match. Senior Elodie Burlet and junior Marion Lehmann picked up a quick 8-2 victory in the third position before sophomore Lena Satge and senior Giovanna Arrondo clinched the first score with an 8-3 win at No. 2 doubles.
Senior Noelia Leon and junior Sharon Makhanya gave the Warhawks a clean sweep of doubles by claiming an 8-2 win in the top position.
Alcorn State (0-1) was able to force a few close second sets in individual play, but the Warhawks were able to come away with straight decisions in each of the five finished matches.
Lehmann gave ULM a 2-0 lead in the match by dispatching AS's Citien, 6-2, 6-2 in the fifth slot. Minutes later, Satge extended the Warhawks lead with a 6-2, 6-3 win at No. 2 singles.
Leon clinched the match for the Warhawks at the top position by holding on for a straight set victory over Devaraj, 6-3, 7-6.
Arrondo (6-1, 7-6) and Makhanya (6-2, 6-0) rounded out the scoring for the Warhawks by picking up victories at the third and fourth positions, respectively.
Freshmen Claire Clark and Ana Burjaili saw their first action of the season for the Warhawks by teaming for a victory in fourth doubles match. Clark also played at the sixth singles position where she took the first set, 6-1, before the match was called.
The Warhawks return to action on Thursday, January 31 when they host McNeese State at Heard Stadium at 1 p.m.
Singles
1. Noelia Leon (ULM) def. S. Devaraj (AS) 6-3, 7-6(7-3)
2. Lena Satge (ULM) def. S. Guzman (AS) 6-2, 6-3
3. Giovanna Arrondo (ULM) def. K. Koepelman (AS) 6-1, 7-6(7-3)
4. Sharon Makhanya (ULM) def. C. Gonzales (AS) 6-2, 6-0
5. Marion Lehmann (ULM) def. F. Citien (AS) 6-2, 6-2
6. Claire Clark (ULM) vs. S. Peters (AS) 6-1, DNF
Doubles
1. Leon/Makhanya (ULM) def. Guzman/Peters (AS) 8-2
2. Satge/Arrondo (ULM) def. Devaraj/Hoepelman (AS) 8-3
3. Burlet/Lehmann (ULM) def. Gonzales/Holder (AS) 8-2
